INDIANAPOLIS, Ind – The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Officer accused of shooting a fellow member of the department Friday night could return to Indianapolis following an extradition hearing set for Tuesday in Cincinnati.
Adrian “Scott” Aurs, 42, is charged with Attempted Murder for the shooting of IMPD Detective Sgt. Robert Pearsey. Pearsey is a member of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and was investigating a domestic violence situation involving Aurs’ estranged wife at her apartment Friday night in the 6700 block of Valley Brook Way, near East Southport Road and Emerson Avenue.
According to a police report, Aurs’ estranged wife called police earlier that day to report Aurs visiting the apartment, saying he wanted to check on his children. She said Aurs asked her why she didn’t return his calls and texts, and he slapped her phone out of her hand.
While Pearsey was interviewing Aurs’ wife, police say Aurs returned to her apartment, forced his way inside, and fired three shots in the direction of Sgt. Pearsey. Pearsey was hit by one shot, which injured his elbow and back. Pearsey returned fire, but did not hit Aurs as Aurs fled out a window.
The couples’ two children, ages 7 and 2, were in the apartment at the time. They were not injured. Another woman in the apartment complex old police she had seen Aurs outside the apartment holding a gun with a “crazed look” on his face.
A probable cause affidavit filed Sunday says Aurs called to apologize to his wife’s father as he was driving away from the shooting scene in his personal vehicle, a red Chevy Silverado. Police tracked him to Cincinnati where he was taken into custody following a one-hour standoff in the vehicle.
Court filings indicate a volatile relationship between Adrian Aurs and his wife. The two filed for divorce in November and they each cited violent confrontations when they filed for protective orders from each other in December. A request was later made to dismiss the orders, but the divorce is still listed as pending.
This is not the first time Aurs has had a run-in with the law. In May, police were called to the same apartment by Aurs’s estranged wife for harassment. She told officers she and Aurs were separated, but he showed up at her apartment one night and started knocking on her windows.
In 2012, Aurs was involved in a fatal accident while driving his personal car with alcohol in his system. A 78-year old Greenwood man died in the accident. Prosecutors declined to file charges against Aurs because he was found to be below the legal limit to drive, and was not responsible for causing the crash.
In 2004, Aurs was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in his personal car after running into another car on I-65. Aurs was arrested after refusing to take a breath test. Aurs served a probation sentence. Around the same time, Aurs received a 20-day unpaid suspension from the police department for violating rules and regulations. He received another 20-day unpaid suspension in 2005 for violating policies related to officer conduct while off-duty or on suspension.
In 2003, Aurs survived being shot in the chest in a shootout with a suspect.
His personnel file includes multiple awards and medals, including a 2008 Medal of Bravery for pulling a woman out of a burning car. He was also awarded and nominated “Officer of the Month” for his district, and awarded a Medal of Valor in 2004.
On Saturday, the Indianapolis FOP released this statement on the shooting of the IMPD Detective.
“Our collective membership is deeply troubled by the events of Friday night which resulted in the shooting of an IMPD Detective. The actions of the criminal suspect in this matter do not represent the values and ethos of the women and men of our organization or our policing profession. We are confident the full measure of the applicable laws will be utilized to ensure proper justice is fulfilled. In the interim, we take solace in the actions of the detective who bravely stood the line defending the other victims involved. Although wounded, the detective remained faithful to his oath and this community. Our thoughts are with all the families involved, especially the children. We ask for the continued support of our City as our wounded officer and this department begin to heal from this terrible incident.”
Aurs has an extradition hearing in Cincinnati set for 9am Tuesday. The timeline for his return to Indianapolis is not clear.
Sgt. Pearsey remains hospitalized Monday evening, but is recovering in good condition.
